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Posted at 12:07 PM ET, 12/15/2010

Google responds to The Post's Pearlstein on antitrust concerns

By
Cecilia Kang

Google on Wednesday took issue with a recent column by The Post's Steve Pearlstein that posed antitrust questions about the search giant's Web buying spree.

If you haven't read it already, business columnist Pearstein questions in "Time to Loosen Google's Grip?" whether Google, with a dominant share in Web search, should be able to use its near monopoly and its profits to win dominant positions in adjacent or complementary markets

In a blog post Wednesday morning, Don Harrison, Google's deputy general counsel said yes. And he went on to pick apart some of Pearlstein's arguments.

"All companies make 'build vs. buy' decisions," Harrison said. "Sometimes it’s possible to develop a new product in-house; other times a company decides it can bring a new product to market faster by acquiring another company."

Harrison said consumers can benefit from acquisitions such as its 2004 purchase of satellite image firm Keyhole, which led to the development of Google Earth -- the first free satellite imagery application.

And he disagreed that Google is the only one buying up companies as it grows. Microsoft, Apple and Facebook also have the cash and desire to buy companies and "regularly compete against us and other companies to acquire leading startups."

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